Christ - The Reese Source - May 2008

Ah, May. It is my second favorite month of the year. The favorite being November with its fall colors, football, the first fires in the fireplace, Thanksgiving food and family. May days are warm days and cool evenings. The earth is in full bloom. Our yard looks spectacular. My fescue grass is lush and green. Peggy’s plants and flowers are a rainbow of colors. Most importantly, I was married to my beautiful wife in May, the twentieth, in nineteen sixty-seven, to be exact!

May is great also for another reason: Memorial Day. This is a day when we should pause and remember those men and women who died in wars to protect the freedoms that you and I enjoy each day. I say “should” because increasingly, as we grow more detached from wars, we treat this day as just another holiday. It is true that some of us have been directly affected by the war in Iraq and Afghanistan, but for most of us, we just mark the beginning of summer with this day. Our history books are being re-written in such a way that does no honor to those who paid the ultimate price to defend our liberties. The last members of “The Greatest Generation”, those who fought in World War II, are dying at the rate of 1500 a day.

Last Friday, I had a chance meeting with a gentleman who had fought in the Korean War at the Chosin Reservoir battle, where the temperature was, at times, forty degrees below zero, and they were engaged in hand-to-hand combat with thousands of Communist Chinese troops. Most of us cannot begin to imagine what combat is like.

“The Battle Hymn of the Republic” by Julia Ward Howe has a stirring verse in it that conveys the meaning of the sacrifice our brave men and women make in war. The verse goes something like this:

“In the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea,With a glory in His bosom that transfigures you and me:As He died to make men holy, let us live to make men free;[originally …let us die to make men free]”

How many of us paused during the weekend to remember our troops, both past and present, who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country? Let us never forget the sacrifice these men and women made to keep America free. Let us not trivialize the day known as Memorial Day.

Also, may I say, let us never forget the One who died to make us holy… and rose again to set free from eternal death, those who would call on His name to be saved…the name above all names, even Jesus Christ.

MINISTRY NEWS:
Attended Steve Farrar’s “Leading the Charge” men’s seminar.

Counseled couples with marriage issues.

I continued to facilitate two weekly men’s groups. The Friday Morning Group is studying Steve Farrar’s book, “Finishing Strong”. The Friday Noon Bible Study at Goshen Trading Company Warehouse continues its study of the Gospel of Mark. This group consists of three Hispanic men, three Asian men and me. My high school and college Spanish is only barely adequate. Fortunately, the Asian men are fluent in English. Both groups are wonderfully challenging!

On a personal note, Peggy (the love of my life) and I celebrated our 41st anniversary on May 20th.

MINISTRY NEEDS:
As with everyone else, our expenses have increased while our contributions have not kept pace. We could use your help. We continue to fall behind. Thanks for your understanding in this matter.

Please pray for the provision of another men’s group as I would love to facilitate another one in the morning on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday mornings.

I would love to facilitate your men’s group retreat. I do weekend or longer retreats. Contact me at 678-986-4814.

May God richly bless each one of you with surprising new blessings!



Buck